Celtic fans were left seething after Rangers players appeared to squirt water at them during their exuberant celebrations of a dramatic winning goal at Parkhead. The tension was palpable in the Old Firm derby, with Rangers initially taking a commanding 2-0 lead by half-time, only for Celtic to mount an impressive fightback and draw level.
The match took another twist when Rangers’ Hamza Igamane came off the bench to net a late winner, sparking wild scenes from Barry Ferguson’s squad and their substantial away support. Amidst the jubilant aftermath, Rangers duo Vaclav Cerny and Nedim Bajrami seemed to direct water bottles towards the home supporters, inciting their fury.
The situation escalated into a fracas, necessitating police action near the Rangers technical area. BBC Sportsound’s Liam McLeod reported on the disturbance: “There has obviously been a problem in the main stand behind the Rangers dugout. There are police swarming around the dugout. The Celtic fans were furious with the reaction of the Rangers bench to that goal which may well have won the game.”
Commenting on Sky Sports, ex-Celtic manager Neil Lennon praised Rangers’ resilience: “Rangers showed bundles of character today. Celtic weren’t functioning as well as they could have done.”
He critiqued Celtic’s lapse in concentration: “You can’t give a two-goal lead to any team, particularly your biggest rivals. Celtic get it back to 2-2 and then switch off.”
But then Lennon hailed the decisive strike: “It’s a hell of a finish to win it.”
With this victory, Ferguson becomes the first Rangers manager to triumph in his inaugural match at Celtic Park since Walter Smith’s success in 1991.
Ex-Rangers ace Steven Thompson was full of praise, noting the match’s excitement: “It was a brilliant game to watch. What an effort for Rangers to hold out at 2-2 and go on and win that game. It’s a phenomenal achievement.
“If there’s one way to win an Old Firm game then that’s the way to do it – a top corner strike by Igamane. A goal fit to win any game. Another notch on Barry Ferguson’s belt, you have to say. Make no mistake, he wants this job long term.”
This article first appeared on the Daily Record.
